


Venus Flytrap

by il_mio_capitano



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 13:52:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5208269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/il_mio_capitano/pseuds/il_mio_capitano
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the prompt of Trapped as part of Giles Shorts collection. Giles really should know better than to wander off on his own...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Venus Flytrap

"Xander, Buffy! I think I've found something." Giles backed away from the specific alcove and signalled across the old library with his flashlight. "Over here. Hello?"

There was no response, but given that the word labyrinth didn't begin to describe the place, perhaps they were just too far away to hear him? It was certainly a strange repository, laid out in a way that seemed quite organic. Had it not been for the worked stone walls and carved wooden stacks, he might have fancied the design to be almost plant-like in the way it divided, climbed and sprawled.

He ventured back into the dark recess that held the tantalising pile of scrolls, the tall shelves flanking him on either side, as they rose into the ceiling, seemingly embedding themselves into the solid granite wall at the far end. The scrolls of prophecy were as old and as dry as the very air around him. He reached out a hand to one, but almost before his fingers brushed the very top fibres, the paper creaked and a split formed.

"Damn." He backed away quickly to minimise the damage, but oddly, the creaking noise continued long after the crack appeared to have stopped spreading. This required a more cautious investigation so Giles dropped to his knees to look. The lack of moisture at this altitude had probably made the precious documents too brittle to touch. Even the silk used to bind the papers had shrivelled to half it's size, leaving a tight knot that couldn't be unpicked without further damage. But however hard he scrutinised, his flashlight found nothing to account for that damn noise.

He sat back on his heels to consider. They'd seen no evidence of mice or even spiders, which was actually a bit unusual in such a vault, but then might the very dryness of the air be deterring them? Something made Giles look sharply to his left at the shelves opposite his closed alcove. Was it his imagination, or where they much closer than when he'd first seen them? Was that where the sound was coming from? No, that was childish. Scientifically, he knew that sound could behave in far more unpredictable ways than light, but that didn't stop his mind associating the creaking noise with that of ancient timber yawning at a change of environment.

His own body heat and moisture had probably acted as an environmental catalyst, of course. He was probably the first creature to see these scrolls in almost a thousand years, and his would be the first eyes to see the prophecies since the day they were written. The scholar in his heart leapt at the prospect, but the conservationist won out over the Watcher. He evidently could not touch these precious documents without risking their complete desiccation, so he rose carefully, his mind already planning the precautions for transport and the preparations for the receiving laboratory.

But as he turned to leave, the hem of his jacket clumsily disturbed another scroll, and without thinking, Giles made to grab it. Without warning, the wooden shelves that guarded his exit from the alcove, screamed loudly and flung themselves to block his way out. Dropping the scroll, Giles ran and pushed his shoulder to the obstacle but it was solid and held his weight.

"Xander, if this is some kind of joke, it's in very poor taste."

No reply came. Giles dragged his flashlight at the dimensions of the space he was trapped into, but there was no comforting gap or air vent. The shelves had formed a perfect hermetic seal and with a racing heart, he began to calculate the amount of oxygen he had left.

"Xander!" He thumped his fist on the stack in anger and frustration, and the slow creaking noise began again. With horror, Giles realised the futility of his oxygen calculations because the blocking stack wasn't done yet, instead, it was slowly advancing still further, seemingly intent on crushing all the available space he had. Digging in his heels, Giles pushed with his shoulders but to no avail, and he became frantically aware that all his efforts were useless and he was about to die.

"Buffy! BUFFY!"

**Author's Note:**

> If anyone wants to write what happens next, please be my guest. Likewise, if anyone wants to write a new Giles being trapped ficlet and challenge me to complete it, I'll give it a go.


End file.
